Mobile connectivity improves performance, unlocks new income: Study

Mobile connectivity improves work performance, unlocks new income and upskilling opportunities in Bangladesh, finds a Telenor Asia study.

The latest “Telenor Asia Digital Lives Decoded” regional survey of 8,000 people across Asia reveals that Bangladesh is unlocking the potential of mobile technology to increase productivity at work, upskill for a digital future, and earn additional income from freelance opportunities.

The mobile phone continues to play a vital role in Bangladeshi society with nearly six out of 10 respondents in the survey stating that they spend more than half their day with their phones, and 62 per cent expect to increase their usage in the next one to two years.

Work (75 per cent) is the main driver for the increase, followed by access to everyday online services (67 per cent) like groceries, retail and banking.

The study also reveals that 96 per cent respondents say that owning a mobile phone has improved their work-life balance.

“Mobile technologies continue to empower people in Bangladesh, and we are encouraged by how the mobile phone remains an essential tool for leading better digital lives. Our Digital Lives Decoded study shows that people in Bangladesh are overwhelmingly positive about the impact of mobile connectivity and are embracing the mobile to unlock new opportunities,” says Manisha Dogra, senior vice president and head of external relations at Telenor Asia.

“We need to work together to build on this positive momentum to enable a thriving digital economy and realise the full potential of new technologies like AI for individuals, businesses, and society at large,” she added.

The positive impact of mobile phone and mobile technology is shown in this survey, as 93 per cent of respondents stated that work performance and quality have significantly improved or improved during the past five years while 82 per cent stated the same positive effect on work productivity.

Freelancers and online consultants in Bangladesh have benefitted the most, as six out of 10 respondents in Bangladesh indicated that they leverage mobile devices to provide such services online.

The survey also reveals that businesses in Bangladesh are ready to embrace new digital technologies like generative AI.

Some 65 per cent of respondents say that the company they work for supports the use of new technologies and generative AI, and nearly half (47 per cent) believe that the use of generative AI will increase in the next six months.

To prepare for a digital future, almost all respondents would like to see their employers provide more training in new technologies, to support digital transformation.

People in Bangladesh are highly confident that they have digital skills to get the most out of their online world and in their ability to keep pace with future changes. As many as 86 per cent of respondents indicate that leveraging mobile technology has improved their career and skills development and 91 per cent have used their phone to develop new skills in the past 12 months.

While Bangladesh is leading in the region when it comes to confidence in digital skills, the confidence level differs between male and female respondents.

Male respondents are generally more confident in their digital abilities (73 per cent of males vs 58 per cent of females are “very confident” in their digital skills) and less concerned about keeping pace with future technologies (28 per cent of males vs 15 per cent of females indicate that they are “not concerned”).

“Enhancing digital skills and digital inclusion is an important step in narrowing this gap by making everyone confident and comfortable with a digital-first approach, enabling everyone to safely participate as creators and consumers of digital content,” Manisha stressed.

“There must be a collective effort to ensure that every individual, community and business benefits from mobile connectivity, advanced data services and adoption of emerging technologies such as AI,” she added.